After 3 days of absolute uncomplicated bliss of getting to know his children and reacquainting himself with his estranged wife Adam found himself falling back down to earth with a bang as he stepped into the Newman office to find Victor sat behind his desk waiting for him.

"Get out," Adam growled.

"This is becoming a bit of a habit don't you think?" Victor asked, not making any signs of moving.

Adam shook his head. "If I have to I won't think twice about calling security."

"I just want to talk," Victor insisted.

"No you don't," Adam argued. "You never do, there's always some hidden agenda be it you trying to emotionally blackmail me into selling you my company or you trying to control my personal life which for the record is none of you business."

Victor looked up at his son. "How is Chelsea?"

"None of your business," Adam replied, his voice low and warning.

"I'm sure Amanda is thrilled that your ex is back in town," Victor observed, referring to Adam's personal secretary and someone that had become a good friend to him over the last few years.

Taking a step towards the desk Adam removed his hands from his pocket. "Not that it has anything to do with you but Amanda and I are just friends."

"The children," Victor began, his voice suddenly taking on a softer tone. "So they really are yours then? Only the little boy didn't seem to know you were his father when I called round."

"My children are nothing to do with you," Adam warned his father.

Victor stood up and rested his hands on the desk. "If they really are your children then that makes them my grandchildren and you know how much my family means to me."

"Don't you even dare try and play the caring grandfather card with me, we both know that the only grandchildren you care about are Nicholas and Victoria's children," Adam pointed out.

Victor looked down at the floor before looking up again. "That's not true Son."

"Why are you still here?" Adam asked, changing the subject away from AJ and Amelie.

"After the other night in Crimson Lights Nikki and I haven't been able to stop thinking about what we saw, Chelsea and the children … the little-girl she didn't look well and … I care deeply about my family. Even you," Victor explained.

Adam laughed bitterly. "Well you have a really funny way of showing it."

"I know things have never been simple between us but you're part of my family and that will never change regardless of who is at the helm of Newman. I would never wish any harm on you or your children," Victor insisted, his voice full sincerity.

Narrowing his eyes Adam watched his father intently for some sign that the Newman matriarch was playing him. "What's your angle?"

"I know you may find this hard to believe but I don't have one," Victor said walking around the desk so that he was just a few feet away from his son.

"You're right I do find that hard to believe," Adam told him.

Victor dropped his hands to his side in an almost resigned manner. "I just want the chance to know my grandchildren."

"After the way you reacted the other day I find that hard to believe," Adam said, remembering back to Victor's attitude towards Chelsea and the twins.

"I've had time to think about things since then and that little boy and girl are a part of my family just like Noah, Summer -"

Adam was becoming increasingly confused by his father's words, whilst he was unable to hear anything but sincerity in his voice history told him that where Victor Newman was concerned there was always an ulterior motive.

"Look you don't have to decide anything now and I know that you'll need to talk to Chelsea but I'd like to meet them," Victor suggested.

"It's not that simple though is it?" Adam asked.

"It could be, if we wanted it to be," Victor pointed out.

Adam shook his head, he already had so much going on trying to get his head around the fact he had 2 children, 1 of which was battling a serious illness. "If you really mean what you're saying then you'll respect my wishes and leave my family alone."

"Ok," Victor agreed. "I'll leave but before I do … the children … what are they called?"

When Adam didn't reply Victor took his silence as a refusal to share any information regarding his children, so reluctantly he turned, ready to walk away.

"Dad," Adam called out to his father's retreating form.

"Yes?" Victor queried, turning back around to face him.

Taking a deep breath Adam got ready to offer an olive branch. "My son his name is Adam, Adam James but everyone calls him AJ and my daughter is called Amelie, Amelie Hope."

"Thank-you," Victor whispered and with that he left, leaving Adam alone in his office to contemplate the surprising exchange that had just taken place and what it might mean.

Meanwhile a few miles across town Chelsea sat on the sofa with Amelie curled up in her lap, the youngster having spent the best part of 2 hours suffering from stomach pains and vomiting, just one of the many side effects of the heavy treatment that she had endured over the past 6 months.

"Mama?" AJ called out, looking up from his spot on the floor.

"Yeah Buddy?" Chelsea smiled, hating that her son was so used to taking a backseat when it came to her time, something that she hoped would change now she had Adam around to carry the burden.

Standing up AJ leaned forward and kissed his sister's head. "I kissed Mimi better so we can play with our new toys now?"

"That's very sweet Buddy but Mimi needs to rest," Chelsea told her son, touched by his thoughtfulness but hating what Amelie's illness was putting both of her children through.

"You play then?" AJ asked.

Desperate not to have her son miss out but also knowing that Amelie needed the comfort of her mother Chelsea smiled sadly. "Not right now but how about I ring Adam, see if he can come home early and play with you?"

"Yay," AJ exclaimed, his face lighting up at the mention of his newest friend.

Chelsea was just about to dial Adam's number when she was interrupted by a loud banging on the door, a banging that also woke her sick child from her first moment of respite all morning.

"Mama make it stop," Amelie pleaded as she buried her head in the cushion.

Standing up Chelsea placed another cushion under Amelie's head before covering the youngster with a blanket and heading towards the door, ready to tear into whoever was on the other side for disturbing her children.

"Hello Chelsea," Nikki responded, not bothering to wait for an invite as she stepped into the house.

Chelsea glared at the older woman. "What are you doing here Nikki?"

"I just came to welcome you back to Genoa City," Nikki shrugged.

"Of course you did," Chelsea muttered under breath.

Nikki turned to face the younger woman. "What was that?"

"I said that's very nice of you," Chelsea lied. "Only now really isn't a very good time."

As if on cue AJ came running up to his mother, his innocent face awash with concern as he grabbed hold of her arm. "Mama. Mama. Mimi is being sick again, all over the floor and the cushion and her jumper and-"

Not stopping to let him finish Chelsea ran straight back into the lounge where Amelie was now sat up straight, tears rolling down her pale face as her whole body continued to shake with dry heaves.

"Mama, sorry … sick," Amelie cried as she reached out for her mom, desperate for some comfort from the pain.

Standing by the dresser Nikki watched as Chelsea comforted her obviously very ill daughter, soothing her in a way that only a mother could as her young son watched on, terrified for his sister.

"AJ baby can you get Mama a wash cloth from the bathroom?" Chelsea asked her son, as she sat down on a clean part of the sofa, cradling Amelie against her.

When AJ didn't move Nikki headed straight for the stairs, returning just a few seconds later with 2 damp wash clothes. "Here," she said offering them to Chelsea.

"Thank-you," Chelsea said as she washed her daughter down before covering Amelie with the blanket as the youngster fell asleep, her tiny body exhausted by the morning's events.

"I kiss her better again?" AJ asked.

Chelsea reached out and pulled her son towards her, wrapping her free arm around him. "You Buddy are the best brother in the whole entire world."

"AJ loves Mimi," AJ smiled proudly, his smile falling from his face as he looked at the mess on the floor. "But I no like it when she sick."

Running her hand through her son's hair Chelsea smiled sadly. "Neither do I Buddy, neither do I."

"Can we call Adam now?" AJ asked, changing the subject.

Almost forgetting about Nikki's presence Chelsea picked up the phone, leaving a message on Adam's voicemail asking if he could come home early but reassuring him that everything was alright so that he didn't panic too much, even though she knew that he probably still would.

"Is she going to be alright?" Nikki asked, making her presence known once again.

Chelsea looked up at the other woman as AJ went back to playing with his new car seat. "Yes. Sadly this is a cycle that we're pretty used to around here."

Chelsea considered her options carefully, a part of her wanted to tell Nikki that it was none of her business, but she knew that if they were going to be living in Genoa City then she couldn't hide the truth about Amelie's health forever. "She's got something called Neuroblastoma, it's a type of cancer that only children get and the chemotherapy she's been having makes her really sick, sometimes for days or weeks after."

"I'm sorry," Nikki whispered, genuinely distraught that someone so young was having to endure so much.

Chelsea nodded. "Me too."

"If there's anything we can do to help, Victor and I then please don't hesitate to ask," Nikki offered, knowing that after his initial surprise had worn off her husband wanted to be a part of his grandchildren's lives.

Chelsea looked up at Nikki, her eyes narrowed in a questioning manner. "Why are you really here? Because I know it wasn't just to welcome me back to Genoa City."

"You and I both know that our husbands have never really had the easiest of relationships, in fact it's been downright destructive most of the time but after the other night Victor has been doing a lot of soul searching and he'd really like to be a part of the children's lives. Of course that's if you'll let him," Nikki explained.

"That's not my decision to make," Chelsea pointed out. "How much Adam chooses to let his family into his life is entirely up to him."

Nikki nodded. "Right. Yes."

"Now if you don't mind I really need to get Amelie cleaned up," Chelsea said, motioning towards her sleeping daughter and the mess that the morning's vomiting session had left behind.

AJ stood up and faced the strange lady with the kind voice. "I'm Adam James Newman but all my people call me AJ."

"All your people?" Nikki laughed.

Smiling to herself Chelsea remembered back to the other day when Amelie had introduced herself to Adam in pretty much the exact same way.

AJ nodded. "Yep, all me people."

"Well it was very nice to meet you," Nikki told him, before turning her attention back to Chelsea. "Your children really are gorgeous. And like I said if there's anything at all we can do to help then please, let us know."

"I'll bear that in mind. Thank-you," Chelsea sighed, knowing that whether or not she took Nikki up on her offer would be entirely up to Adam.

Watching as AJ whispered something into his mother's ear Nikki realized that she had said and done all she could for now and that what happened next was completely up to Adam and Chelsea. "I'll see myself out," she offered as she waved goodbye to AJ before closing the door behind her, leaving Chelsea alone with her children as she contemplated the strange exchange and the impact it could have on her children's lives.

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